Chapter 28
Katarina had never seen anything more pallid in her entire life until
now. To say Brian was stunned was too much of an understatement.
Hell, if it weren't for the fact that she felt like crawling into a hole and
dying, she might've laughed at his startled expression. But there was
nothing funny about this situation and even the slightest chuckle would seem
out of place.
So it was Katarina's turn to be stunned when he burst out laughing as
though she'd just told him the most hilarious joke he'd ever heard.
Obviously,
this wasn't going to be an easy task to overcome.
"O...okay,"
Brian stuttered as his chuckles died down, "you really had me going there
for a second..."
Oh God, she groaned inwardly,
he didn't believe a word I said.
"You
know, everyone said I sounded like I belonged in the loony bin every time I
said that Nick was alive. I didn't believe them before but now that I've
heard it from someone else's mouth, I think I realize just how ludicrous it
sounds! Can you believe I actually...thought..." Brian's voice
trailed off and the glimmer in his eyes faded away when he realized that Katarina hadn't said a word, her face devoid of expression
except for the despair in her eyes. "Oh...God," he choked out,
"you...you're not kidding are you?"
Katarina shook her head, not trusting her voice. She watched as his blue
eyes widened, his skin colour drain again, and he
began to tremble. "But..." he blinked, "I...how?"
She wrapped
her arms around herself and managed a tiny shrug. "I'm not sure how
he survived the crash...he wouldn't tell me everything. But he's
alive. Breathing. Just like you and me." It was then
that she thanked God that Brian was sitting down because the way his body was
swaying...
He was bound
to pass out.
"Brian--"
"Where is
he?!"
"...In
"
She winced at
the incredulity in his voice.
"He's
been in
"Brian,
you don't understand--"
Furious, he
stood and began to pace. "He wouldn't do that! If he was okay,
he wouldn't scare us all like this. I KNOW he wouldn't." His pointed
gaze fell on her. "You're lying!"
"I'm
not," she replied meekly, "I--"
"I don't
want to hear it," he covered his ears.
"I have
proof."
He may have
blocked off his hearing passages, but that didn't mean he couldn't read
lips. Slowly, he removed his hands from his ears and stared at her
warily. "Proof?"
Katarina nodded and reached into her blouse. After hesitating for a
moment, she pulled out her only reminder of her love.
Nick's
necklace.
She kept her
eyes on the sparkling silver. "He...gave this to me Brian. He
told me that it was specially made for him...one of a kind...so no one else
would have it except him..." When he didn't respond, she looked up
and gasped as Brian's eyes rolled to the back of his head before he collapsed
in an astounded heap on the floor, missing the couch entirely.
***
"OhGodOhGodOhGod! Brian?! Brian!!"
Oh...
"What do
I do? Brian?! It's Katarina! Can
you hear me?! Oh God..."
What
happened?
As though awaking from a strange dream, he tentatively opened his eyes and
stared into the face of the woman who'd just confirmed what he'd known in his
heart all along.
His best
friend was alive!
"Oh thank
God!" she breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you okay?"
"I...I
think so," he replied while she helped him sit up. He rubbed the
back of his head. "What happened?"
"You
fainted."
His face began
to burn with embarrassment. "Well I feel like an idiot."
Katarina shrugged. "It's okay. If I were you I would've
probably hurled."
That made him
smile. He wouldn't doubt for a second that his floor would be a mess if
the situation were reversed. But as he recalled their conversation thus
far, his smile disappeared quickly. There were too many questions that
needed answering.
Answers he'd
been searching for since Nick's 'death.'
"Katarina..." he paused for a moment, gathering his
jumbled thoughts, "if he's been alive this whole time, why hasn't he come
home? Why didn't he tell us...?"
She gazed at
him in understanding. "Brian, there's so much that you don't
know...and I don't have the right to explain." She sighed.
"Nick's not...the same person that he was when you last saw him.
He's changed...and not for the better."
Worry sparked
once again and Brian's face contorted in concern. "What do you
mean?"
"I can't
explain," she replied softly, "you're going to have to see for
yourself."
Brian's eyes
widened in excitement...and anxiety. "See him...after all this
time..." his forehead creased, "aren't you going to take me to
him?"
Katarina shook her head vehemently. "I can tell you where to find
him and how to get there...but I can't go with you."
"Why
not?"
"There's..."
she looked away, "I just have my reasons."
He raised an
eyebrow in curiosity but didn't push the issue. "So, how did you
find him?"
"...Well,
I went camping with my sister and her fiancé and I ended up...wandering a
little too far from the campsite. I came across an old house where
Caroline, the woman who's been taking care of Nick this whole time, took me in
from the rain and offered me the opportunity to stay with her for a few days."
A tiny smile curved her lips. "She's such a kind woman..."
"Sounds
like it."
Her eyes shone
with happiness as she began to recall everything. "And then I met
Nick...and he was the reason I stayed longer."
She quieted
after that and Brian could see her mind churning with memories that brought
life into her tired brown eyes, colour back in her
cheeks... But soon, the moment passed and melancholy took it's place
again. He reached out and touched the necklace that hung heavily from her
neck, wanting to confirm that it was real...even though he could see it with
his own eyes.
"You have
to go to him. He needs someone who cares...and understands him."
He met her
pleading gaze as he analyzed the way she spoke of him. The tenderness in
her voice when she said his name, the light in her eyes when she remembered
him... and he understood. "You love him," he said quietly.
Katarina gasped and moved her gaze elsewhere. "...Am I that
obvious?"'
Brian
smiled. "I can hear it in your voice...and I know he loves you
too."
"No he
doesn't. He hates me."
"I don't
think so," his face turned pensive, "I remember having the distinct
feeling that he was happy..." his eyes fell on the necklace again,
"and he wouldn't have given his prized possession to just anyone Katarina."
Her eyes
glazed over with tears and Brian patted her shoulder. "Hey, why so
glum? Love is beautiful...especially when it's mutual."
"It's
not. Trust me," her voice trembled, "I just wish I could tell
him why..."
He stared at
her quizzically. "Why...?"
"Please...go
to him," she continued, ignoring his question, "he needs you."
Although, he
had the feeling that Nick would be much happier to see Katarina,
he agreed without mentioning it. "I'll take the next available
flight."
***
